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Scriptures, that the Authority of fome Books has been formerly Matter of Controverfie.

I fhall enter upon no Difcourfe concerning the Apocryphal Books, the Authority whereof has been fo often and fo effectually difproved by Proteftants, that the most learned Papists have now little to fay for them, but are forced only to fly to the Authority of their Church, which is in effect to beg the thing in queftion, or to beg fomething as hard to be granted, viz. the Infallibility of the Church of Rome. But I fhall here engage in no Controversie of that nature. Both Proteftants and Papists are, generally speaking, agreed, that the Books of Mofes, and the Prophets in the Old Testament, and the Writings of the Evangelifts and the Apostles in the New, are of Divine Authority; and if this be fo, the Christian Religion must be true, whether there be, or be not others of the fame nature, and of equal Authority.

These

Books, in the main, have already been proved to be genuine, and without any material corruption or alteration. I fhall now only propofe fuch general Confiderations as may be fufficient to obviate Obje&tions.

The agreement between the Jews and Samaritans in the Pentateuch, is a clear evidence for its Authority. And tho' there were many and great Idolatries committed in the Kingdom of Judah, yet by the good Providence of God, there never was fuch a total Apoftacy in the People, nor fo long a fucceffion of Idolatrous Kings, as that the Books, either of the Law or the Prophets, can be fuppofed to have been fupprefs'd or alter'd. For three Years under Rehoboam, they walked in the way of David and Solomon, 2 Chron. xi. 17. and tho' afterwards he forfook the Law of the Lord, and all Ifrael with him, yet both he, and the Princes, humbled themselves at the Meffage and Declaration of the Prophet Shemaiah, ch. xii. 6. and his Reign was in all but feventeen Years, ch. xii. 1, 13. Abijam was a

wicked King, but he reigned no longer than three Years, 1 Kings XV. 2. And tho' his Heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as the Heart of David his Father ch. x. 3. yet both he, and his People, relyed upon the Lord God of their Fathers, and therefore gained a miraculous Victory over the Ifraelites, 2 Chron. xiii. 10, 12, 18. Afa the third from Solomon, and Jehoshaphat his Son, were great Reformers; and Asa reigned one and forty Years, and Jehoshaphat five and twenty Years, 2 Chron. xvi. 13. xx. 31. The two next Kings in fucceffion, did evil in the fight of the Lord, but their Reigns were fhort; Jehoram reigned eight Years, and Abaziah but one, 2 Chron. xxi. 20. xxii. 2. During the interval of fix Years under the usurpation of Athaliah, the People could not be greatly corrupted: for she was hateful to them, as Jehoram her Husband had been before her, and they readily joined with Jehoiada in flaying her, and in reftoring the Worship of God, 2 Chron. xxii. Joafh, the Son of Ahazia, did that which was right in the fight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada, 2 Chron. xxiv. 2. We are fure that he reigned well three and twenty Years, 2 Kings xii. 6. and probably much longer; for Jehoiada lived to a very great Age, 2 Chron. xxiv. 15. Amaziah his Son, reigned twenty nine Years, and has the fame Character, and with the fame abatement, that he did that which was right in the fight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart, 2 Chron. xxv. 2. or yet not like David his Father: he did according to all things, as Joash his Father did, 2 Kings xiv. 3. Uzziah, Son to Amaziah, reigned fifty two Years, and did that which was right in the fight of the Lord, according to all that his Father Amaziah did; and he fought God in the days of Zachariah, 2 Chron. xxvi. 45. and after he was feized with the Leprofie for invading the Priest's Office, the Administration of Affairs was in the hands of his Son Jotham, ver. 21. who reigned fixteen Years, and imitated the good part of his Father's Reign, ch. xxvii. 2.

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Ahaz

Ahaz was wicked, and an Idolater, but he also reigned only fixteen Years, chap. xxviii. 1. and his Son Hezekiah wrought a great Reformation, who reigned twenty nine Years, chap. xxix. 1. Manaffes was much given to Idolatry in the former part of his Reign; but after his Captivity in Babylon, he was very zealous against it, chap. xxxiii. 15, 16. he was no more than twelve Years old when he began his Reign, ver. 1. and during his tender Years, he could not be the cause of great Corruptions; his Captivity was very fhort; for he was foon brought again to his Kingdom upon his Repentance, ver. 11, 12. and he reigned fifty and five Years in Jerufalem, ver. 1. having not been detained a full Year in Babylon; but was carried into Captivity in the twenty fecond Year of his Reign, and was a Penitent thirty three Years, as the Rabbins compute. Amon imitated the ill part of his Father's Reign, but his own continued no longer than two Years, chap. xxxiii. 21. The next was Jofiah, in whofe time the Book of the Law was found in the Temple, which must be the Book of Mofes's own hand-writing; for it is evident, that a Book of the Law could be no fuch rare thing at that time in Jerufalem, as to be taken fo much notice of, unless it had been that Book, which was laid up in the fide of the Ark, and was to be transcribed by every King. It seems, that Book of the Law had been purposely hid, to preserve it from the attempts of Idolaters, who it was feared might have a design to destroy it: for if it had only lain by neglected, the finding of it could have been no fuch furprizing thing, because the place in the Temple was well known, where it was wont to be kept in the fide of the Ark, and where they might have fought for it but it was probably at that time, supposed to have been utterly loft; and its being found in the Ruines of the Temple, which was built for the ob

Uffer. Annal. A. M. 3327.

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servation of it, and where it ought to have been kept with the greatest care, as a most ineftimable Treafure; the veneration which Jofiah had for fo facred a Writing, and the happy and unexpected recovery of it, when it had been difregarded and almoft loft, through the Iniquity of his Predeceffors; thefe Confiderations could not but exceedingly move a Mind fo tender and affectionately pious, as that King's, when he received the Law under Mofes's own hand, fent him, as he believed, by God himself, and delivered to him, as it were, anew from Heaven. But eleven Years, fix Months, and ten Days after Jofiah's Reign, Jehoiachin was carried captive to Babylon,2 Chron.xxxvi. 2, 5, 9. till which time there were always Prophets, frequent Reformations, and never any fucceffion of Idolatrous Kings, which continued for a long time together; very few Kings were idolatrous throughout their whole Reigns, and thofe that were, reigned but a short time. Some manifeft Judgment was conftantly fent, to prevent the evil Effects of a wicked Reign as the Jews never were without Prophets, either before the Captivity, or under it, fo Ifaiah, Hofea and Micah, lived in the Times of the worst of their Kings, Ahaz and Manaffes; and they prophefied for very many Years, to oppofe their Wicked nefs. Ifaiah was flain by Manaffes, but his Prophecies were preserved, as well as the Law, and the Writings of the rest of the Prophets.

b

It has been proved, that the Pentateuch, and the Books of the Prophets, written before the Captivity, were preserved amongst the Jews till their return; and it is acknowledg'd by thofe who are of another opinion, that Ezra, who compofed the Canon, did it by a Prophetick Spirit, or had the affiftance of Prophets in the doing it. Jofephus fays, that their Books, after the time of Artaxerxes, are not of equal Autho

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Book 1. Part 2. c. 6. and 9.

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Jofeph. Cont. Arion. lib. 1. G 2

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rity with those before his time, for want of a certain fucceffion of Prophets. And fince the Jews admitted no Writings as infpired, into the Canon after Malachi's Prophecy, this fhews their fincerity and exactnefs in examining the Truth and Authority of fuch Writings, as they admitted into their Canon of Scripture. The Pharifees made the Commandment of God of no effect by their Traditions, but never durft prefume to impofe them under the notion and character of a Book of the Scriptures. The modern Jews, in like manner, never dared to pretend to new Books of Revelation, but have constantly adhered to the old.

And what inducement could the Jews have to receive these Books into their Canon, of which it confifts, rather than the Apocryphal Books, but the evidence of their Divine Authority? which is a thing more especially remarkable in fome Books. Why fhould they receive certain Books under the Names of Solomon, Efther, Daniel and Ezra, but not admit into the Canon others going under the fame Names, but because of the difference in their Authority? The Song of Solomon, tho' it have not the Name either of God or of Lord in it, has ever been received for canonical, because they were affured, that it was penned by Solomon, and that it is to be understood in a d mystical fenfe of the Meffias and the Church. For in divers places, it can with no congruity be taken literally, as where the Eyes of the Spouse are compared to the Fish-pools of Hefhbon, and her Nofe to the Tower of Lebanon, chap. vii. 4. And for Chrift to be represented as an Husband to his Church, is no unufual thing in other Books of Scripture. So fhall the King greatly defire thy Beauty: for he is thy Lord, and worship thou bim, Pfal. xlv. 11. For thy maker is thine Husband, the Lord of Hofts is his Name: and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Ifrael, the God of the whole Earth,

d Targum.in Cantic. iv. 5. vii. 3.

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